Help support our writers and journalists.
Commentary
A unique clearing in Central Africa draws elephants from the dense forests
By David Akana - Mongabay Dzanga Bai is an exceptional forest clearing where hundreds of elusive forest elephants gather, offering scientists and visitors opportunities to observe their behavior, social interactions and family dynamics in the open. Mineral-rich soil and shallow pools draw elephants and other wildlife like bongos and forest buffalo, making the clearing a unique ecological hotspot and a valuable site for long-term research on a little-understood species. Dzanga Bai is a growing tourism spot for the Central African Republic, but growth remains limited by difficult access,...
Anthropocentric framing of wildlife use in SA is neither scientifically grounded nor ethically neutral
By Bool Smuts - Daily Maverick Use of biodiversity does involve trade-offs. But complexity does not justify analytical shortcuts. Trade-offs do not justify false equivalence. And regulatory structure and adaptive management without transparent rules does not substitute for ecological evidence. The 23 March 2026 article by Dr Jeanetta Selier and Professor Sam Ferreira raises questions of genuine importance: how should South Africa manage its wildlife, and what role should “regulated” hunting play in conservation? This is an important debate, but it is also one that requires clarity,...
News
Urgent call to relocate elephants as KZN reserves reach capacity
By Chris Ndaliso - The Witness While non-lethal measures remain the priority, Ezemvelo said culling could become unavoidable if alternatives are not secured. Hundreds of elephants may need to be...
Tanzania rules out elephant culling to curb human-wildlife conflict
By Bernama - New Straits Times DAR ES SALAAM: Tanzania has ruled out elephant culling as a strategy to curb rising human-wildlife conflict, opting instead to scale up rapid-response measures to...
How South Africans are using high-tech to rewrite the rules of wildlife conservation
By Tony Carnie - Daily Maverick South Africans are playing a pioneering role in harnessing drones, artificial intelligence and other digital tech tools to reshape wildlife conservation management —...
Press releases
Lawsuit Launched After Trump Freezes Funds for Rhino, Elephant Anti-Poaching Patrols
By The Center for Biological Diversity Contact: Sarah Uhlemann, (206) 327-2344, suhlemann@biologicaldiversity.org Broad Range of International Conservation Projects Hit By Halt in U.S. Support WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity sent notice today of its intent to sue the...
Studies
Elephant barrier behaviours in response to conflict mitigation fences
By Dominique Gonçalves, Robert J. Smith, Helen M. K. O'Neill - The Society for...
Impacts of Human Development on Wildlife Use of Corridors in Botswana
By Tempe S. F. Adams, Keith Leggett, Michael J. Chase, Marlee A. Tucker -...
Energy flows reveal declining ecosystem functions by animals across Africa
By Ty Loft et al - Nature Abstract A key challenge for ecological science is...
Reports
Scientific Review of Botswana’s Elephant Hunting Programme
By Mike Chase and Scott Schlossberg - Elephants Without Borders (EWB) Summary 1. In 2019, Botswana ended a five-year moratorium on the hunting of African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana). Here, we provide expert, outside review of the hunting programme and its scientific basis. Notably, we...
About
The Journal of African Elephants was created by a group of concerned journalists, biologists and conservationists, who, after years of tracking and documenting the catastrophic decline of Africa’s elephant populations, have recognised the urgent need for a dedicated English and French news and commentary space to enhance and increase global awareness of the plight of Africa’s savanna and forest elephants. Our Commentary service, in particular, are writers that focus on the need to provide awareness of Africa’s elephants and affected surrounding human communities from a distinctly African perspective that, for the most part, is lacking in the dominance of Western media.